Rail fissure detector car



p 1954 c. w. M KEE El AL 2,688,725

- RAIL FISSURE DETECTOR CAR Filed Nov. 15, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 cfiea'i'ei B RIL' ard 211145 e5 Sept. 7, 1954 Filed Nov. 15, 1951 ill C W. M KEE ET AL RAIL FISSURE DETECTOR CAR 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOQS.

Patented Sept. 7, 1954 RAIL FISSURE DETECTOR CAR Chester W. McKee and Richard W. McKee, Chicago, 111., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Teleweld, Inc., a corporation of Idaho Application November 15, 1951, Serial No. 256,503

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a rail fissure detector car and more particularly to a plurality of mechanical features which cooperatively maintain a proper relationship between the electrical elements of the car and the rail.

The Teledetector system has steadily increased the weight of its magnets and the spacing between them until today some eight or ten tons of magnets are used, and the distance from the forward edge of the leading magnet to the pickup is approximately 50 feet. In suspending these weights from a car whose trucks are on 55 foot centers so as to maintain a constant spacing above the rail and a fixed lateral relationship thereto, applicants encountered serious problems in connection with lateral and vertical changes in the relationship of the car body to the rail, usually in negotiating curves. A first object of this invention is to assure exact spacing of these heavy magnets above the rail and a feature of the invention is the provision of separate rail trucks for carrying the magnets.

A second object of this invention is to minimiz lateral movement of a pickup with respect to the rail. A pickup carriage ordinarily functions in connection with one rail only and has two flanged wheels which are mechanically held by means attached to the car frame itself in engagement with the rail. Registering the pickup over the rail, particularly on a curve, is diflicult. One of the features of this invention is the mounting of the pickup carriage between the wheels of the rear truck of the car. This is done by providing the rear truck with a special frame which is cut back from above the rail so as to provide a clear space between the top of the rail and the bottom of the car in which the detector carriage may be raised or lowered. For definition purposes, the words detector carriage mean the main frame carrying a smaller carriage called the pickup carriage and an A. C. magnet. The pickup carriage bears a substantially fixed lateral relationship to the detector carriage. A feature of this invention is the positioning of the detector carriage wheels fairly close respectively on the inside of the wheels of the main car truck. At these points, the car body moves laterally above the rail very little so that registering the wheels of the detector carriage on the rail even on a curve is accurate.

Another object of this invention is to improve the power retracting mechanism for the detector carriage. A feature of the invention is the use of a full stroke piston with a spring positioned between the operating end of the piston and the detector carriage. The air control is thrown to one of two positions and the piston is either fully re tracted or fully extended. Any variation in the total distance from the car to the rail is compensated for by the spring. This provides a more positive positioning of the carriage on the rail.

Another object of this invention is to eliminate the step of raising the detector carriage from the rail when it becomes necessary to back up the car. Each flanged wheel in a present detector carriage is canted with its leading fiange edge toward the rail at a fixed angle. Inasmuch as the wheel is drawn by its holding element, the wheel will tend to climb the rail, but restrained by the flange. Inasmuch as the carriage is laterally pivotally suspended from the car, this climbing action of the wheels keeps the pickup coil properly centered on the rail. When the car is reversed, the wheels would roll themselves and the detector carriage off the rail, excepting that the operator first retracts the carriage. A feature of this in vention is the mounting of each detector carriage Wheel in a caster pivotal on a vertical axis and free to rotate on the axis of the caster shank a sufiicient distance so that the wheel will climb the rail going forward or backward. This has eliminated raising the pickup when backing up.

These and such other objects as may hereinafter appear are attained in the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is-a schematic side elevation of the car showing the spacing of the magnets, both direct and alternating current, and pickup coil;

' Fig. 2 is a perspective View through the rear window of applicants car, showing schematically the pickup and the conductors connecting its coils to the pen unit set;

Fig. 3 is a plan view ofv a longitudinal two-thirds of the truck;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the main magnet truck;

Fig. 5 is the left-hand portion of an end view, taken from the right of Fig. 3 of the main magnet truck;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the retractable carriage from which is suspended the pickup and alternating current magnet;

Fig. '7 is a plan View of the other detector carriage on the far rail of Fig. 6 and headed in the opposite direction; and,

Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate the action of the flanged wheels on the pickup carriage when the car is moved in opposite directions.

Continuing to refer to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. l, the numeral I0 identifies a car supported on a lead truck 12 and a trailing truck M. The operators cab facing rearwardly is indicated by the numeral l6. Disposed between the trucks I2 and I4 are three magnet trucks I8, and 22. These magnet trucks each support a series of magnets above each rail which derive energy from a generator 24 in the car. The lead magnet 26 and the second magnet 28 are of substantially identical strength and each is approximately one-half the strength of the main magnet 30. This spacing between the lead and second magnets 26 and 28 is approximately half the space between the second magnet 28 and the main magnet 30. The lower poles of the lead and main magnets are north and the lower pole of the second magnet 28 is south.

The magnet truck Heretofore applicants magnets have been suspended from the car, but the present magnets are so heavy that a standard passenger car of the type employed for a fissure detector car is not strong enough to properly support the magnets. A truck has been designed which is sup-- ported on wheels and which is dragged along the rails by the car. Referring to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the main magnet truck consists of a pair of longitudinally disposed upright I-beams such as 32 which are connected to each other by front and rear cross members 94 and 36. Mounted on the frame are front and rear axles 38 and 40 to which are non-rotatably fastened wheels 42 and 44. The exact mountings are not important, but

there are no springs between the truck frame and the wheels.

The structure indicated by the numerals 46, 48, 50, 5I, '53, 55 and 51 is not described other than to say that 5| is a plate fastened to the plate which in turn is mounted on the bottom of the car I0, not shown in Fig. 4. The truck is drawn by the car to the right when the plate 5I engages the pulley 53 mounted on a vertical axis, and is drawn to the left when the plate 55 engages the pulley 51. The driving connection between the truck and the car was designed by engineers of the Union Pacific Railroad.

Mounted on platforms 52 on the I-beams 32 are pillow blocks 54 and 58 which, with complementary pillow blocks on the far side of the truck, rotatably support heavy shafts 58 and 60. On the outside ends of these shafts are pinion gears 62 and 64. Pairs of arms, 66 and 68 being one arm of each pair, are non-rotatably mounted on the shafts and 58 respectively, and a tie bar such as 10 connects the outer ends of each pair of these arms. The ends of a U-shaped bus bar I2 are associated with the tie bar 10, and there is a similar U-shaped bus bar 14 having its ends rotatably associated with the tie bar I6 at the other end of the truck. The bus bars I2 and I4 are drawn toward each other by springs such as I8. Also connecting the two bus bars I2 and I4 to each other is a link 80 rigidly fastened to the chamber of a piston 82 and a piston rod 84. Compressed air reaches the piston through a tube such as 86.

Disposed between the pinion wheels 62 and 64 is a rectangular frame 88 composed of flux conductive top and bottom bars 90 and 92 rigidly joined to each other by non-flux conductive vertical end bars 94 and 96. Mounted on the upper outside surfaces of the vertical members 94 and 9-6 are racks 98 and I00 which respectively engage the pinions 62 and 64. Mounted on the bottom of the rack and rigidly fastened to the frame 88 is a cross member I02 which is in vertical alignment with a plate I04 rigidly mounted on the I-beam 32. Disposed vertically between these two members I02 and I04 is a suitable adjusting screw I05 which limits the downward movement of the rack with respect to the truck frame. There is a similar construction with adjusting screw I08 at the other end of the truck and there are corresponding pinions, racks, magnet frame and adjusting screws on the far side of the truck.

The magnets on each side of the truck are independent of each other electrically, but their position with respect to their two rails is always the same because they are tied to each other by the shafts 58 and 50. It is evident that by moving the U-shaped bus bars 12 and 14 toward each other, the arms 68 and 66 will move the pinions 62 and 84 counter-clockwise and clockwise respectively. There will be similar action by the pinions on the far side of the truck, and both magnets will be raised evenly above the two rails. Referring to Fig. 3, all of the springs I8 have a contracting pull slightly less than that necessary for raising the two magnets so that they assist the piston in raising the magnets and thereby reduce the load which must be raised by the piston. There being no springs between the supporting wheels such as 42 and 44 and the frame, it is evident that the distance between the bottom flux conductive bar 92 of the frame 88 can be very exactly fixed by means of the adjusting screws I06 and I08, for each magnet.

Disposed in conductive relationship between the top and bottom bars and 92 of the frame 88, referring to Fig. 4, are six flux conductive vertically disposed cores IIO. Around these cores, in the same direction, are windings of wire, the windings being in the same direction and connected in series and the two ends connected to the generator 24, schematically shown in Fig. 1. In the main magnet bar 92 is a north pole and bar 90 is a south pole.

Trucks I8 and 20 with magnets 26 and 28 are similarly constructed to truck 22 and magnet 30 excepting that magnets 26 and 28 have only three cores and the magnet frames and truck are appropriately shortened.

Synchronizing the tape to the speed of the car A Selsyn generator-motor assembly is used to drive and synchronize the tape feeding mechanism with movement of the car along the rails.

The tape IIO, see Fig. 2, moves toward the operator II2 over a table H4 from beneath a battery of pen units H6. The tape is pulled over the table by a reel, not shown, moving in response to a motor, schematically illustrated by the numeral H8 in Fig. 1. This motor is connected by conductors suggested by I20 in a Selsyn circuit to a generator I22. As is well understood. the shaft of the motor II8 will turn through arcs equal to the arcs turned by the shaft of the generator I22 in the Selsyn circuit. Referring to Fi 3, the generator I22 is mounted on the main magnet truck 22 immediately above the trailing wheel axle of that truck and is driven by a belt I24 operating over pulleys I28 and I28 disposed respectively on the motor shaft and the wheel axle.

The pickup carriage Two pickup carriages, one for each rail, are provided. Each is suspended from the car between the front and rear Wheels of the rear truck I4. The motor for driving the car along the rail is mounted in the leading truck I2. The trailing truck I4 merely provides support, and its frame has been altered by being moved inwardly, see the plan view of Fig. '1, so that the space between the forward and rear wheels is laterally unobstructed for several inches inside the rail and vertically unobstructed between the car bottom and the rail.

Referring to Figs. 6 and '7, the detector carriage consists of a rigid metal frame I24 which is suspended from the car I0 by two hangers I21 and I29. Each hanger, consists of an inner metallic tube I30 which is telescoped into an outer tube I32. This inner upper tube is pivotally suspended from the car at I34 so that it may swing laterally with respect to the car while the lower tube is pivotally attached to the frame I25 on a transverse pivot at I36 so that the frame I25 may move forwardly or baokwardl with respect to the car.

Two cylinders I38 and I40 pivotally suspended from shafts, one parallel to the rail and the other transverse to the rail as at I42 and I44 provide means for raising and lowering the frame I24. Vertically movable in each cylinder is, for example, a piston I46 which is pivotally connected to a bolt I48 slideably positioned in an opening I50 which opens into a vertical cylindrical chamber I52 in the forward end of the frame I25. Rigidly mounted on the upper end of the bolt I48 is a slide I54, and between the lower edge of the slide, more particularly between a thrust washer I56 and the bottom of the chamber I52, is a spring I58. A nut I60 engages the under side of the lower wall of the chamber I52 on an upward movement of the piston I46 so as to raise the frame I25 above the rail.

Referring to Fig, '7, the vertical axis of the chamber I52 and the telescoping hanger I28 are centered over the rail ball I62. The pistons are positively functioned in either direction, that is, the admission of air at their bases will positively raise the piston rods I46, full stroke, and the admission of air at their tops will positively force the pistons I46 down, full stroke. In the lower position, the piston rods I46 when fully extended, referring to Fig. 6, engage the detector carriage wheels I64 and I66 against the rail and then act against the springs I58. Any variations in the gross distance between the rail and the bottom of the car I0 are taken up by these springs I58. This makes it possible to function the cylinders and the associated pistons in full stroke fashion, that is to say, the piston is either fully retracted or fully extended, and full, not partial, air pressure is exerted upwardly or downwardly.

The detector car is supported on the rail by means of the two wheels I64 and I66 which are respectively mounted on casters such as I66 and I10. Each caster has its shaft I12, see Fig. 7, mounted vertically inwardly of the center of the rail, the numeral I63 identifying the gauge side. More exactly, the shaft I12 is mounted vertically of the flange I14. Horizontally extending from the upper end of the shaft I12 is an arm I16 whose outer end is positioned between two adjustable screws I18 and. I80 mounted in the arms of a yoke I82 attached to the top of the casting I25. The wheel I14 is moved longitudinally of the rail by a force exerted through the shaft I12. The wheel resists, turning the caster on its axis so that the forward portion of the flange (the one on the side toward which the car is moving) engages the rail. The wheel tends to climb the rail and therefore tends to carry the detector carriage up against the side of the rail. Where the car backs up, the caster turns on its shank I12 within the limits allowed by the arm I16 between the set screws I16 and I80, and the caster again climbs the rail, holdin the detector carriage in engagement therewith. The maximum arc through which the caster may turn is about 30 degrees, which is possible when both set screws I13 and I are fully retracted. As shown, the caster may pivot about 15 degrees of arc, which is ample. I

The axles of the trailing truck I4 are on 8 foot centers and because the car I0, referring to Fig. l, is supported by a vertical shaft I84, positioned centrallybetween the two axles, the lateral movement of the detector carriage with respect to the rail will always be at its maximum exactly centrally of the frame I24, that is, the point I86, see Fig. 6. The lateral movement either inwardly or outwardly of the rail at the point I86 will not be great on modern mainline railroads less than an inch. However, applicants wheels I64 and I66 are spaced from the adjacent wheels of the truck I38 and I90 respectively by only a little over two feet. The result is that by mounting the detector carriage between the wheels of a truck with the wheels of the detector carriage close to the wheels of the truck, the truck itself performs the major operation of keeping the detector carriage centered over .the rail. The climbing movement of theflanges to urge the pickup carriage squarely over the rail never requires an adjustment of more than a fraction of an inch. This is due to positioning the pickup carriage wheels close to the inside edges of the truck wheels.

Suspended from the forward portion of the pickup frame I25 is an alternating current magnet I92 which is more specifically described in copending application Serial No. 256,501 filed November 15, 1951. The pickup shown is described in detail in copending application Serial No. 256,502, filed November 15, 1951.

Having thus described the invention, applicants claim:

1. A rail fissure detector car comprising a car body supported on a pair of four or more wheel car trucks, and a pickup suspended from the car body close to a point on a rail where a line that transversely bisects the pivotal point of the truck crosses the rail.

2. A rail fissure detector car comprising a car body supported near each end on the center of each of a pair of trucks, two pairs of wheels supporting one truck which has open space on one side between the forward and rear wheels and between the bottom of the car and the rail, a detector carriage suspended from the car, a flanged wheel depending from the detector carriage and engageable with the rail between the two wheels of the car truck, and a pickup suspended from the carriage close to said flanged wheel.

3. A rail fissure detector car comprising a car body supported near each end on the center of each of a pair of trucks, two pairs of wheels supporting one truck which has open space on one side between the forward and rear wheels and between the bottom of the car and the rail, a detector carriage suspended from the car ap proximately at the midpoint of said open space between the two truck wheels, forward and rear flanged wheels depending from said carriage and engageable with the rail between the two wheels of the car truck, and a pickup suspended from the carriage.

4. A rail fissure detector oar comprising a car body supported on wheel trucks, a detector car- 

